Many of my land based friends have asked how I cope with the uncertainty of the cruising life to which I usually reply something along the lines of, “What’s so uncertain about it? Stuff happens wherever you are.” So far, life ashore here illustrates that point.
We had two great days and then went to see “All is Lost”. Why make a movie with great acting and a great story and then make it so technically hokey that no sailor can watch it? Even non sailors should notice that there isn’t a breath of wind while the un-named character is struggling with the sails in the “storm”. Maybe it was implausibility overload but we both looked at each other on the way out of the movie and said, “Uh, oh. I don’t feel so good.”
Sure enough, we both had colds the next morning. Among my other modest accomplishments, I have discovered the cure for the common cold which works about 95% of the time. I whipped up a batch and it knocked Dreameagle’s cold back enough that there was no sign of it over the next two days avoiding postponement of the operation. However, for the first time in years, it didn’t work for me. I was running a 101 degree fever when I brought her home from the hospital .
This is more than a run of the mill common cold. It settled into my lungs in a deep racking cough that is only slightly improved nearly two weeks later. The stress of the operation, of course, caused a relapse so she has been dealing with the coughing along with three stomach incisions.
I’ve fallen in love with a tough one. She is almost completely free of the cough today and feeling great. As I write, she is walking down the street for more cough medicine while I stay home and hack.
Despite illness and not getting to plunge into the round of social activities I was greatly looking forward to, we are having a great time. We were lying on the bed talking the other day and asked each other, “Who knew it could be so much fun being miserable together?”
So, life is somewhat on hold but love is a great adventure. Even though they haven’t worked out anything like I expected, I wouldn’t trade the last two weeks for many that I have spent on the boat.
